New rabbit owner - 'thump proofing' hutch!?

Hi guys,

I'm very new to this forum (first post!) and need a little bit of help with regards to trying to limit the amount of noise that comes out of my rabbit's hutch when she thumps!

My rescue rabbit, Mimi, hasn't been with us very long and the thumping is no where near as bad as it was when we first had her (getting used to us and her surroundings etc). The past two nights, she has thumped very loudly at night - night before last it woke me up, I popped outside to check on her and she was fine, the thumping stopped. Last night, she was thumping again (apparently - my room backs onto the garden, I didn't hear anything!) this time, it was my neighbour who informed me of it.

I understand that the thumping noise is a signal that a rabbit is unhappy or scared and that the thump itself is a 'warning'. I've put extra bedding in for her so she can burrow - is there anything else I can do? I have a cover (with air pockets) that go completely over the hutch but there is a window that she can see out of - would it be worth me covering those windows at night (obviously adding air pockets!) so she doesn't feel threatened by anything she sees in the garden?

I haven't had rabbits since I was very young and at the tender age of 25 (lol), Mimi is the first pet that I've called my own so I want to make sure that my rabbit is happy but at the same time, I don't want to annoy my neighbour.

I'll look forward to hearing any suggestions you may have on helping Mimi or sound proofing a hutch!

Kate & Mimi

Is she on her own, is she neutered and what size is her accommodation? Rabbits are very active at dawn and dusk so it could be frustration.

She is on her own (but she's in a garden with other animals so she's not completely isolated - just on her own in the hutch and she's fine with the animals, if anything, she loves them!) and she's not neutered. Her hutch is very spacious and she has tubes and enough little toys to keep her preoccupied. The reason as to why she was given up in the first place is that she fought with a companion (apparently) so not sure if I can risk getting her a companion?

I have found the reason most rabbits thump is because they have seen or heard something which frightens them. When it happens regularly at night the best thing you can do is put her into a shed overnight as I have found this stops the behaviour. If you haven't got a shed then could she be on the ground (if it is safe) then the thumps won't be so loud. Thumping is one of the worst things rabbits can do when you have neighbours.

I do believe that she was frightened of something and according to my neighbour she thinks she saw something in the garden. My neighbour is lovely and didn't mind the thumping at all, she was more concerned about what was going on but I'd rather have her not comment about the thumping again! I've just been out to check out Mimi and she's fine and I will keep the window open so I can listen out for any more thumping.

Tomorrow, my partner and I are both off from work so we are going to try and find a way to get the light on our shed working away as well as find ways to help reduce the 'hollowy' sound that is made by the thumping!

As she hasn't been spayed, that's why she fought with a bun previously. If you're able to get her spayed, a neutered husbun will provide more security.

How big is her hutch? Does she have enough places to hide or just the "bedroom" bit?

I will look into getting her spayed tomorrow. Her hutch is big - it has a bedroom bit but I've also put tunnels in the main part which she loves and likes to hide in.

Trying not to worry too much !

The Rabbit Welfare Association recommends a minimum of a 6 x 2 x 2 ft hutch with 24/7 access to a run of 8 x 4 ft as they do need a lot of exercise, usually at times that are inconvenient to us. I would definitely assume boredom and/or frustration if her accommodation is smaller than that and she has no bonded partner with her.

Almost all bunnies are aggressive to others before being neutered/spayed, but the vast majority bond well with a partner if introduced in the right way and after an appropriate length of time after their operation. It's great you're looking into spaying her - it's a very good idea for her health and her happiness.

I would definitely look at attaching a permanent run if she does not already have one. I'm off to bed so can't find many links but Welfare hutches do runs at great prices: http://www.welfarehutches.co.uk/ and Boyle's pet housing do excellent quality items too: https://boylespethousing.co.uk/. It's also worth looking on eBay and contacting local people to you - just remember the 8 x 4 ft size (and either 2 or 3ft tall), plus strong galvanised weld mesh no larger than 1 x 0.5cm and nice thick good quality timber.

Thinking about it, it is usually the single rabbits who do the thumping as compared with the pairs. The previous owners probably put her with another female which is why they fought. Your neighbour sounds lovely - wish mine was!

You could if possible try to put a layer of insulation foam underneath the hutch. We have a rabbit 'Brie' who does the same particularly on a return trip from the vets or if her partner is chasing her! Our neighbours have heard her but they are cool with it and like watching the rabbits from the garden. I explained they are sensitive and it could be due to animals nearby or potential burglars! We have had a few thefts in our quiet countrybumpkin village and so I made the decision to leave it at the moment but may insulate their top boxes in the future . I think the sound is particularly loud if they are thumping on a platform above ground level.

You could buy a turf and put it in the hutch which would deaden the sound. :thumb: